Ivan Tereshchenko

[1]

Ivan Tereshchenko
Born 1820
Hlukhiv, Ukraine
Died February 11, 1903
Nairobi, Kenya
Known for Tereshchenko dynasty Military, Art Collector
Spouse(s) Elizabeth Sarancheva
Children Mikhail Tereshchenko, Olga, Pelageya, Elizabeth, Nicholai, Ivan, Oleksander

Ivan Nikolovich Tereshchenko (Russian: Иван Никола́евич Тере́щенко; Ukrainian: Іва́н Микола́йович Тере́щенко) was a 19th century Russian collector, philanthropist, sugar manufacturer, and landowner of Ukrainian origin. He is known for his numerous art collections across Europe. [2]

Biography

Ivan was the eldest son of the famous landowner and sugar manufacturer, Nikola Tereshchenko and his wife, Pelageya. From 1883 to 1891 Tereshchenko worked in the Kiev City Council. He was a co-founder of the Sugar Refinery Factories' Association of the Tereshchenko Brothers. In 1897, Ivan Nikolovich decided to build a beautiful villa on the French Riviera, on the hills above Cannes. The rapid economic growth of Russia in the late 19th-century, as well as friendly relations established between Russia and France, allowed many wealthy Russian industrialists to settle on the Côte d'Azur. At that time the Russian Navy had leased the French Bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer over a number of years, and Vasily Vereshchagin, as a Navy staff artist, had the opportunity to visit the area. Mykola Tereshchenko (b 1820, d 1903) and his sons, Ivan and Oleksander Tereshchenko, were well-known patrons of the arts; Mykola was a financial supporter of the Kyiv and Hlukhiv art museums, and Ivan supported the Kyiv Drawing School.[3][4]

Education and military career

Together with his younger brother, Alexander, he studied at the Kreyman private school in Moscow, after which he enrolled at the University of St. Vladimir, and graduated with a Gradus Academicus in law. He then briefly served as a cornet at the Grodno Hussars Life Guards. During his years of military service he became best friends with Vasily Vereshchagin, the official artist of the Russian army.

Ivan Tereshchenko as a Cornet of the Life Guards regiment of Grodno, 1880.

Art Collections

Ivan was a great connoisseur and collector of art, for which he became well known throughout the Russian Empire, devoting his life to his collection and patronage. The first paintings purchased by Ivan Nikolovich were the Vereshchagin works depicting battle scenes. One of these battlefield paintings, the 'Winners 1878-1879," was the scene from the Russo-Turkish War (1877–78).

The "Winners 1878-1879" depicted victorious Turkish soldiers removing the boots and uniforms from the corpses of Russian mercenaries who had fought on the side of Serbia, leaving the dead and wounded to the mercy of birds of prey. This painting, exhibited in St. Petersburg, shocked Russian civilians and stirred up national pride, following which Emperor Alexander II of Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire. The battle paintings became the first masterpieces in the Nikolovich's huge collection. His art collection also reflected his fondness for Art Nouveau.[4]

Charity activities

In May 1876 painter and art teacher, Mykola Murashko, asked Ivan for funding for his private art school that had been founded a year earlier. This led to Ivan Tereshchenko becoming a patron of the Murashko school for nearly 25 years. During the same time he was also appointed as honorary trustee of the Kiev and Alexander craft schools.

Personal life

Ivan married Elizabeth Sarancheva, the daughter of the Colonel Saranchev. History states that, when he asked Elizabeth to marry him, her father declared that they would not get married until after the first snowfall. The next morning Ivan had arranged for the whole street leading to the bride's house to be covered with sugar. Ivan's father, however, was not impressed by this ruse, and in April 1880, at the insistence of his father, Ivan resigned and went to Europe to collect works of art. By the turn of the century they owned 140,000 destinations (approximately 153,000 ha) and were among the largest landowners in the Russian Empire.

Death facts

Ivan Tereshchenko is buried next to his daughter Olga, who was born in 1882 and died in childhood. She was buried in the Tereshchenko family's estate, where a beautiful angel crafted in white marble watches over her grave.

References

  1. ↑ "Tereshchenko". www.encyclopediaofukraine.com. Retrieved 2018-09-12.
  2. ↑ Filmywap, Movies (July 26, 2018). "Filmywap". Retrieved 2017-04-12.
  3. ↑ Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CT%5CE%5CTereshchenko.htm. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. 1 2 "Kiev Museum of Russian Art". primetour.ua. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  • "Tereshchenko". Encyclopediaofukraine.com. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  • "Welcome to Ukraine". Wumag.kiev.ua. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
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